Fence tightening tool



April 20, 1965 F. J. HAHN FENCE TIGHTENING T001:

Filed March 27, 1962 FIG.

IN V EN TOR.

FRANK J. HAHN. Wed/Wm 1 FIG.

AHornevs.

United States Patent 3,179,129 FENCE TIGHTENING TOOL Frank J. Hahn, 390Greenwell Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio Filed Mar. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 182,774Claims. (Cl. 140--106) This invention relates to a tool or device fortightening wire fences or the like.

Fencing often requires tightening, both during installation and as thefencing ages and sections or wires thereof start to sag.

An object of this invention is to provide a device which cooperates witha portion of a fence wire to bend it to a U-shape to reduce itseffective length and tighten the mm.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this typehaving a 'U-shaped jaw provided with sides adapted to engage a wire atspaced portions thereon and a second jaw adapted to engage the wirebetween the sides of the U-shaped jaw to bend the wire to U-shape.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this typein which the sides of the U-shaped jaw converge and in which a guide ismounted on one of the sides of the 'U-shaped jaw to position the wire ata predetermined location thereon so that the width of the U- shaped bendor bight formed in the wire can be predetermined.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this typein which a stop is provided for limiting swinging of the other jaw toprovide a predetermined depth of bight formed in the wire.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains,from the following detailed description, and the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a wire tightening deviceconstructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device illustrated in FIG. 1 shown inassociation with a portion of a wire being tightened therewith;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken on the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in side elevation, partly broken away and in section,showing the tool in engagement with a wire in the position illustratedin FIG. 3 a movable jaw being shown in retracted position in dot-dashlines;

FIG. 5 is a view in section taken on the line 5-5 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view in side elevation, partly broken away and in section,showing the tool in the position illustrated in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view in side elevation of a guide removed from thedevice.

In the following detailed description, and the drawing, like referencecharacters indicate like parts.

In FIG. 1 is shown a device constructed in accordance with an embodimentof this invention which includes a body 10 and a movable jaw member 12pivotally mounted thereon to swing on a pivot pin 13. The body is formedof a strip of metal bent to the shape shown most clearly in FIG. 2. Endsthereof are spanned by a stop block 14 attached thereto in anappropriate manner as by welding. The central portion of the strip isbent to substantially U-shape to form a stationary jaw having sideportions 16 and 18 which are co-planar and converge from the pivot pin13. Spacer washers 19 and 20 mounted on the pivot pin 13 space theswingable jaw member 12 from sides of the U-shaped jaw. A guide 22 ismounted on the jaw 18 as shown most clearly in FIGS. 2, 4, and 6. Theguide 22 includes a main portion 23 (FIG. 7) of generally U-shape andinwardly directed flanges 24 and 25 which hold the guide on the side 18of the U-shaped jaw as shown in FIG. 2. A set screw 26 is mounted in thebody of the guide and can engage the side portion 18 to hold the guidein selected positions. a

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 4- and .6, the swingabl jaw member 12includes a jaw portion 28 mounted on an integral handle 29 which jawportion can swing between an open position illustrated in dot-dash linein FIG. 4 at 28a and a closed position, illustrated in full lines, inwhich the jaw 28 can engage a section. of wire 31 to urge the wireagainst the side portions 16 and 18 and draw additional wire betweenside portions 16 and 18 as it bends the section of the wire between sideportions 16 and 18 to a U-shape as shown in FIG. 3 The stop block 14serves as a stop limiting swinging of the movable jaw member 12.

The device constructed for use with wires of varying thickness orstiffeness. When a relatively thick or stiff wire 31a (FIGS. 5 and 6) isto be tightened, the guide 22 is placed at the position shown in FIG. 6so that the wire is bent to form a relatively large bight, as shown inFIG. 5. When a relatively thin or less stiff wire 31 is to be tightened,the guide 22 is placed in the position shown in FIG. 4 so that arelatively small bight is formed in the wire 31, as shown in FIG. 3. Asshown in FIGS. 4 and 6, a wire gripping face 33 of the jaw 28 slopesupwardly from adjacent the pivot pin 13 toward the wire gripping facesof the side portions 16 and 18 of the stationary jaw so that, inwhatever position the guide 22 is disposed, the wire is bent or shapedto a bight having approximately the same angle which can beapproximately degrees, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.

As is shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 the wire engaging surfaces of jaws 16, 18and 28 are preferably smooth so as to minimize possibility of damage toany protective coating on the wire. The angle between the wire engagingsurfaces of jaws 16, 18 and 28 is preferably small so as to minimize anytendency of the wire to slide on these engaging surfaces.

The tool illustrated in the drawing and described above is subject tostructural modification without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A wire tightening tool which comprises a body having a pair of spacedwire supporting rounded edge faces, a jaw pivotally attached to the bodyfor swinging between the wire supporting edge faces to engage a wire andbend a bight in the wire, the wire supporting faces being substantiallyco-planar and converging away from the pivot, means for stoppingswinging of the jaw at a predetermined position, the jaw having a wireengaging face sloping upwardly from adjacent the pivot toward a free endof said jaw adjacent the plane of said wire supporting edge faces whenengaging the stop, a guide mounted on the body, means for attaching theguide at selected positions along the wire supporting faces of the bodyfor positioning the wire at a selected position along the wiresupporting faces, the jaw being adapted to bend the wire tosubstantially the same angle for all positions of the guide.

2. A wire tightening tool which comprises a body having a pair of spacedwire supporting edge faces, a jaw pivotally attached to the body forswinging between the wire supporting edge faces to engage a wire andbend a bight in the wire, the wire supporting faces being substantiallyco-planar and converging away from the pivot, the wire engaging face ofsaid jaw being smooth and oriented to intercept the plane of thesupporting edge faces at increasing distance from the pivot as the jawis moved toward its bight-formed limit position, guide means "J: 3mounted on the body, and Jeans for attaching the guide at selectedpositions along the wire supporting faces of the body for positioningthe wire at a selected position along the wire supporting faces.

3. A wire tightening tool which comprises a body having a pair of spacedwire supporting rounded edge faces, a jaw pivotally attached to the bodyfor swinging between the wire supporting edge faces to engage a wire andbend a bight in th wire, the wire supporting faces bein substantiallyco-planar and converging away from the pivot, means for stoppingswinging of the jaw at a predetermined position, the jaw having a wireengaging face sloping upwardly from adjacent the pivot toward a free endof said jaw adjacent the plane of said Wire supporting edge faces whenengaging the stop, a guide mounted on the body, and means for attachingthe guide at selected positions along the wire supporting faces of thebody for positioning the wire at a selected position along the wiresupporting faces, the jaw being adapted to bend the wire tosubstantially ninety degrees for all positions of the guide.

4. A Wire tightening tool which comprises a body having a pair of spacedwire supporting edge faces, a jaw pivotally attached to the body forswinging between the wire supporting edge faces to engage the wire andbend a bight in the wire, the wire supporting faces being substantiallyco-planar and converging away from the pivot, and means for stoppingswinging of the jaw at a predetermined position, in which the wireengaging edge surface of the jaw is inclined to the plane of the wiresupporting edge faces of the body and extends toward said plane fromadjacent said pivot whereby a bight of predetermined depth is formed inthe wire.

5. A wire tightening tool which comprises a body having a pair of spacedWire supporting surfaces, a jaw pivotally attached to the body forswinging between the wire supporting surfaces to engage a portion of'the wire midway between portions thereof supported on said supportingsurfaces and displace same so as to simulta: neonsly draw additionalwire between said supporting surfaces as a bight is formed therein, saidwire supporting surfaces being generally co-planar and converging fromadjacent said pivot toward a point remote therefrom, and said jaw havinga wire engaging surface extending from adjacent said pivot generallytoward said point of convergence when said jaw is in bight-formed limitposition, whereby the effective length of the wire is shortened totighten the wire.

References Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 522,164 6/94Lockwood 140-106 762,691 6/04 Corrigan 140106 1,570,708 1/26 Roush 81151,619,084 3/27 Miller 140106 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD A. WAHL, Examiner.

1. A WIRE TIGHTENING TOOL WHICH COMPRISES A BODY HAVING A PAIR OF SPACEDWIRE SUPPORTING ROUNDED EDGE FACES, A JAW PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO THE BODYFOR SWINGING BETWEEN THE WIRE SUPPORTING EDGE FACES TO ENGAGE A WIRE ANDBEND A BIGHT IN THE WIRE, THE WIRE SUPPORTING FACES BEING SUBSTANTIALLYCO-PLANAR AND CONVERGING AWAY FROM THE PIVOT, MEANS FOR STOPPINGSWINGING OF THE JAW AT A PREDETERMINED POSITION, THE JAW HAVING A WIREENGAGING FACE SLOPING UPWARDLY FROM ADJACENT THE PIVOT TOWARD A FREE ENDOF SAID JAW ADJACENT THE PLANE OF SAID WIRE SUPPORTING EDGE FACES WHENENGAGING THE STOP, A GUIDE MOUNTED ON THE BODY, MEANS FOR ATTACHING THEGUIDE AT SELECTED POSITIONS ALONG THE WIRE SUPPORTING FACES OF THE BODYFOR POSITIONING THE WIRE AT A SELECTED POSITION ALONG THE WIRESUPPORTING FACES, THE JAW BEING ADAPTED TO BEND THE WIRE TOSUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME ANGLE FOR ALL POSITIONS OF THE GUIDE.